According to a notice published in the Federal Register, palm oil-based biodiesel fails to meet a requirement that renewable fuels offer a 20 percent reduction in emissions relative to conventional gasoline.

The industry has hired powerful lobbyists like the law firm Holland & Knight to try and overturn the EPA's finding that palm oil-based biofuels do not meet the greenhouse gas standards of the Federal Renewable Fuels mandate.

Indonesia is the world's largest palm oil producer. The widespread deforestation created by palm oil plantations has made Indonesia the world's third largest contributor of green house gases and has led to the mass killing of critically endangered species including orangutans, Sumatran rhinos, and Sumatran elephants.

EPA staff were invited to Indonesia to see palm oil operations there but they were only shown the operations of the cleanest producer in Indonesia. It was a sham! It is extremely important that we support the EPA's initial assessment of palm oil as a non-renewable biofuel.

Please tell the EPA to stand by their decision that palm-based biofuels DO NOT meet the greenhouse gas standards of the Federal Renewable Fuels mandate!

Back­ground

All biofuels including ethanol produced in the US have similar catastrophic impacts on the environment and people. Please read

Letter

I am very concerned about the palm oil industry giants hiring of lobbying firm Holland & Knight to attack your conclusion that palm-based biofuels do not meet the green house gas standards of the Federal Renewable Fuels mandate.

The EPA has concluded that palm oil-based fuels may have lower emissions, but the difference isn’t big enough to meet the Renewable Fuels Standard. Scientific studies have shown that palm oil as a biofuel is much worse than traditional fossil fuels from a climate standpoint especially when Indirect Land Use Change( ILUC ) from carbón rich peatlands is calculated into the emissions.

I do not want the United States to contribute to greater rainforest destruction, wildlife extinction and displacement of Indigenous communities. Please let the overwhelming scientific evidence weigh over the political maneuvering of industry lobbyists and continue to reject palm oil as an option for our nation's renewable fuels mandate.